Revolutionizing Consular Services: Digital Notary Project
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has announced the initiation of a new project in the field of digital notary services, as stated by Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.
Streamlining Power of Attorney Applications: MFA Introduces “e-Consul”
The main goal of this innovation is to optimize and simplify procedures.
Minister Sybiha noted that previously, obtaining a power of attorney required multiple visits to the consulate: submitting all necessary paper documents, writing a handwritten request, agreeing on the text with the consul, paying the consular fee, and then waiting for the document to be printed and collected.
Due to missing documents or uncertainty in the text, individuals often had to return to the institution, wasting their time and resources.
As of today, July 1, everything can be done remotely, and one only needs to visit the consulate once to sign the prepared document.
How to Submit an Application Online via “e-Consul”
The system works as follows:
- The citizen submits an online application through the “e-Consul” system.
- Uploads the necessary documents and a sample power of attorney.
- The system checks the provided data, automatically generates the notarial document, and notifies the applicant of its readiness.
- The applicant schedules an appointment for a convenient time, visits the consulate for the signature, and immediately receives the completed document.
Where is the “e-Consul” Service Available?
The pilot project has already been launched in 40 Ukrainian embassies and consulates. The service is available in: Australia, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Botswana, Vietnam, Ghana, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Qatar, Kenya, China, general consulates in Guangzhou and Shanghai, as well as embassies in Congo, Korea, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Kuwait, Latvia, Malaysia, Morocco, Mexico, Mozambique, UAE, Oman, South Africa, Peru, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Thailand, Tunisia, Chile, Japan, and in general consulates in Milan, Hamburg, and Gdańsk.
According to Andriy Sybiha, the system will save resources for Ukrainians, reduce the workload on consular staff, and represent another step towards creating a service deserving of a modern European state.
The MFA plans to expand the digital notary project to all diplomatic missions of Ukraine after evaluating the results of the pilot phase.
